Reviews
“This heart-wrenching sequel recaptures the tone of the opening volume and again packs an epic’s worth of worldbuilding into a limited page count…. This mind-bending story will have both new and returning fans hooked.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Utomi’s searing, thought-provoking fantasy novella has heartbreaking parallels in the present and is highly recommended.” —Library Journal, starred review
“Utomi returns to the Forever Desert with this devastating, timely fantasy novella about the impossibility of peace when the powerful seek only to control and manipulate others.…There is no solace in this thought-provoking sequel, only uncomfortable truth.” —Booklist, starred review
“The Truth of the Aleke is riveting and merciless, an exploration of power, deceit, corruption, and ultimately, hope. I was not prepared, and neither are you.” —Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga and Untethered Sky
“The end of one story braids into the beginning of the next, and in this powerful sequel, truth cuts deeper than any lie.” —Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons
“Utomi’s insights on power and propaganda are illuminating. The best fiction leaves us asking difficult questions about the world we live in and this novella succeeds in doing that and more. Such incredible writing!” —T.L. Huchu, USA Today bestselling author of The Library of the Dead
“The Truth of the Aleke feels like you’re stepping into a story told around a campfire by a wise elder. Moses Ose Utomi understands the power of myth to point to deeply human truths. There is a richness to his storytelling. His worlds feel lived in like the comfort of coming home. We are literally watching an undeniable voice come into his own.” —Maurice Broaddus, author of the Astra Black series
“The Truth of the Aleke weaves a dazzling tale that paints with sharp strokes, through massive battles and dizzying magics, to show the sheer power of stories and the deadly confluence between truth and lies.” —Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, World Fantasy Award-winning editor of Africa Risen
Praise for The Lies of the Ajungo
“Utomi’s writing is both elegant and efficient, and the story is so eminently devourable that I finished it in a couple of hours. In keeping with the contradictions at the book’s heart, it left me perfectly sated and hungry for more.” —The New York Times
“The Lies of the Ajungo is a tightly-packed, devastating punch, a masterful use of the novella as form and a heartbreaking tale of the lies we hold on to—the lies that help us live and the lies that hold us back.” —C. L. Clark, author of The Unbroken
“A captivating and violent fable, The Lies of the Ajungo plumbs the depths of deception yet bursts with hope. Taut and unexpected. I devoured it.” —Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga
“Utomi is on the brink of something exceptional.” —Suyi Davies Okungbowa, author of Son of the Storm
“Exquisitely crafted and original. Fiction at its best shows us the truth by telling us lies.” —T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead
“A searing and mythical tale of manipulation, kindness, and sacrifice.” —Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons
“Utomi perfectly blends fantasy and fable in his mesmerizing debut novella. …[He] draws readers into a harsh and beautiful world where nothing is as it seems. Fantasy fans will want to keep an eye on this up-and-coming author.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“This short but deeply affecting parable will unveil new perspectives to readers long after it’s done. Highly recommended.” —Library Journal, starred review
“I was drawn into this story from the very first word, and each paragraph and sentence and chapter did not disappoint….[A] poetic, epic yet intimate, tale.” —Safia H. Senhaji for Strange Horizons
“The Lies of the Ajungo is a masterfully epic and delightful tale. It is rich with, and spun from West African lore, with puzzles that unfurl before you as you read, thrilling fight scenes, wonderful mysteries, slowly unfolding secrets, and a dazzling revelation at the end of it all.” —Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
